ASTM_D_5911_-_D_5911M_-_96_2010e1.pdf

Designation:D5911/D5911M96(Reapproved 2010)1Standard Practice forMinimum Set of Data Elements to Identify a Soil SamplingSite1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5911/D5911M;the number immediately following the designation indicates theyear of original adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of lastreapproval.A superscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1NOTEA units statement was added and the designation was revised editorially in August 2010.1.Scope1.1 This practice covers what information should be ob-tained to uniquely identify any soil sampling or examinationsite where an absolute and recoverable location is necessary forquality control of the study,such as a waste disposal project.The minimum set of data elements for sampling site identifi-cation(DEFFSI)was developed considering the needs forinformational data bases,such as geographic informationsystems(GIS).Other distinguishing details,such as individualsite characteristics help in singularly cataloging the site.Forstudies that are not environmentally regulated,such as for anagricultural or preconstruction survey,the data specificationsestablished an agency or company may be different from thatof the minimum set(see Guide D420 and Practice D5254).1.2 As used in this practice,a soil sampling site is meant tobe a single point,not a geographic area or property,located byan X,Y,and Z coordinate position at land surface or a fixeddatum.All soil data collected for the site are directly related tothe coordinate position,for example,sample from x feet(ormetres)or sample from interval x1to x2ft(or metres)below theX,Y,and Z coordinate position.A soil sampling site caninclude a test well,augered or bored hole,excavation,grabsample,test pit,sidewall sample,stream bed,or any other sitewhere samples of the soil can be collected or examined for thepurpose intended.1.3 The collection of soil samples is a disruptive procedureas the material is usually extracted from its natural environ-ment and then transported from the site to a laboratory foranalysis.Normally,in this highly variable type of material,theadjacent soil profile will not be precisely the same as thesampled soil.For these reasons,when soil samples are re-moved the same material cannot be collected from the sitelater.Therefore,it is essential that the minimum set of DEFSSIbe thoroughly documented and identified especially with anaccurate location.1.4 Samples of soil(sediment)filtered from the water ofstreams,rivers,or lakes are not in the scope of this practice.NOTE1There are many additional data elements that may benecessary to identify and to describe a soil sampling site,but are notincluded in the minimum set of data elements.An agency or company mayrequire additional data elements as a part of their minimum set for aspecific project or program.1.5 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound unitspresented in brackets are to be regarded separately asstandard.The values stated in each system may not be exactequivalents;therefore,each system shall be used independentlyof the other.Combining values from the two systems mayresult in non-conformance with the standard.1.5.1 The gravitational system of inch-pound units is usedwhen dealing with inch-pound units.In this system,the pound(lbf)represents a unit of force(weight),while the unit for massis slugs.The rationalized slug unit is not given,unless dynamic(F=ma)calculations are involved.1.6 This practice includes those data elements that willdistinguish a sites geographical location on Earth,its locationby political regimes,its source identifiers,and its individualsite characteristics.These elements apply to all soil andgeotechnical sampling sites involved in environmental assess-ment studies.Each category of site,such as a bore hole orexcavation,may require additional data elements to be com-plete.1.7 Some suggested components and representative codesfor coded DEFSSI,for example,“setting”,are those estab-lished by Ref(1),2by Practice D2487,by the Water ResourcesDivision of the U.S.Geological Survey in Ref(2),and byBoulding in Ref(3)and(4).NOTE2The data elements presented in this practice do not uniquelyimply a computer data base,but the minimum set of soil data elements that1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil andRock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Groundwater andVadose Zone Investigations.Current edition approved Aug.1,2010.Published September 2010.Originallyapproved in 1996.Last previous edition approved in 2002 as D5911 96(2002)1.DOI:10.1520/D5911_D5911M-96R10E01.2The boldface numbers given in parentheses refer to a list of references at theend of the text.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 should be collected for entry into any type of permanent file.1.8 This practice offers a set of i